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CM . . . . Volume XXIII Number 2 . . . . September 16, 2016
excerpt:
With the addition of these new titles, the "Cultural Traditions in My World" series now numbers 25 books. Designed for young readers, each title discusses the religious, family, seasonal and national holidays of a specific country and the historical significance, foods, customs and celebrations associated with them. The books, each having 14 chapters, begin with a brief introduction of the country- its location, population, official languages or religions- and are arranged chronologically, starting with the first holiday of January (usually New Year's). One or two holidays are featured per double-page spread. Some of the cultural traditions date back to ancient times while others are relatively recent. What readers will find interesting is that no matter where they are celebrated, many of the holidays are quite similar around the world. For instance, several countries have holidays that honour workers, celebrate the country's independence, or reflect on the sacrifices made by their military in times of conflict. Text is printed in a large, simple font; "Did You Know?" text boxes provide additional information. Bright, colourful covers attract the reader's attention. The appealing illustrations consist mainly of colour photographs, some black and white archival photographs and a few maps. A table of contents, a glossary and an index are also included. Argentina is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Most of the population is Catholic, hence many of the country's holidays and festivals are based on that religion. Cultural Traditions in Argentina not only highlights the religious holidays, such as Carnaval (a pre-Lenten festival), Easter, Christmas and Three Kings Day, but also, among others, the Tango Buenos Aires Festival which takes place over a two-week period and is the largest tango festival in the world. Many of the celebrations are food-related, specifically the National Apple Festival, Grape Harvest Festival, National Yerba Mate Festival, National Tamale Festival and the National Empanada Festival. One of the more unique celebrations is the Day of Tradition which honours the birth of an Argentine gaucho, José Hernández, and includes parades, concerts, rodeos and horse-riding events. Italians call their country "lo Stivale" (the Boot) because of its shape. Most of Italy's holidays are related to Roman Catholicism. Many of them are devoted to patron saints, such as Saint Agatha, the patron saint of bell-makers and bakers, and St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. Other religious holidays covered in Cultural Traditions in Italy include Epiphany, the Assumption of Mary and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some of the interesting traditions include the huge chalk pictures drawn in the churchyard of Santa Maria del Grazie during the Assumption of Mary celebration, and the water parades along the Grand Canal in Venice and the orange-throwing "battle" in the town of Ivrea during Carnival. To celebrate their love of traditional foods, Italians hold festivals devoted to white truffles, wine and chocolate. In Perugia, for example, the Eurochocolate Festival attracts more than a million people and features chocolates from around the globe, street performers, chocolate-sculpting contests, and an igloo made from more than 3,600 kg of chocolate bricks. Synonymous with tulips, canals and windmills, the Netherlands has been nicknamed the "flower shop of the world". Cultural Traditions in the Netherlands not only features religious and national holidays, but it also provides information about unique customs related to births, weddings, birthdays, and the end of the school year. For instance, after their wedding, couples plant lilies of the valley to symbolize "the return of happiness"; special cookies called "biscuits with mice" – the "mice" being tiny licorice-flavoured seeds – celebrate the birth of a baby, blue cookies for a boy, pink for a girl; and on the last day of school, students hang their backpacks outside their homes to show that they have passed the grade. One unique tradition is the New Year's dive when thousands of brave people swim in the North Sea, lakes or canals. Participants in one city receive orange mitts and hats afterwards, orange being the national colour of the Netherlands. The year would not be complete without National Tulip Day with its beautiful flower-adorned floats, and National Mill Day which celebrates the importance of windmills to Dutch heritage. In fact, long ago, before modern technology, the position of a windmill's sails was used to communicate messages. Most of the holidays celebrated in South Korea had their origins as rural festivals. Today, South Koreans take part in One Hundred Day when a baby is 100 days old. On the child's first birthday, the baby is seated at a table with a variety of objects placed in front of him or her. It is said that the first item that the baby grabs predicts the child's future; money, for example, means that the child will be prosperous in business while a pencil might indicate academic success. Other family-oriented holidays include milestone birthdays, Parents' Day, Children's Day and Valentine's Day which is celebrated on three separate occasions. On Buddha's birthday, coloured paper lanterns filled with notes with special prayers are hung outside homes and temples. Some of the other holidays mentioned in Cultural Traditions in South Korea include Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day, Teachers' Day, Memorial Day and National Foundation Day. (One fact in the chapter on National Foundation Day might be confusing to readers. The names "Tangun" and "Dangun" refer to the same person, but this is not explained in the text.) Local festivals include the Mask Festival, the Boryeong Mud Festival, the Bullfighting Festival and the Snowflake Festival. This title also mentions some popular games played at festivals. Generally speaking, the "Cultural Traditions in My World" series meets its objective- that is, to promote an appreciation of other cultures around the globe. That said, there are numerous titles already in print on the same topic, and this series adds nothing new to the mix. Recommended. Gail Hamilton is a former teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, MB. Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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